This invention relates generally to article sorting switches of the type known as horizontal switches, and more particularly to an improved switching apparatus useful in horizontal switches and in similar applications.
The present invention comprises an improvement over the switching apparatus disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,946,022 (xe2x80x9cthe ""022 Patentxe2x80x9d) granted to Davis, et al. on Aug. 7, 1990, and assigned to Stewart Systems, Inc., predecessor-in-interest of the assignee hereof, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. The ""022 Patent discloses a switching apparatus incorporating a double acting cylinder which is utilized to pivotally locate a switching channel in any one of three selected switching orientations. The device disclosed in the ""022 Patent has proven itself to be generally satisfactory in commercial utilization, however, the apparatus of the ""022 Patent includes component parts which are relatively expensive to manufacture and difficult to assemble.
The foregoing difficulties relating to the switching apparatus disclosed in the ""022 Patent were substantially overcome by the introduction of a switching apparatus comprising an elongate flexible track positioned in any of three switching orientations by a double action cylinder. The flexible track comprises a self lubricated nylon-based material and is less costly to manufacture and easier to assemble as compared with the apparatus of the ""022 Patent. However, the flexible nylon track can occasionally break in service, leading to jamming of the switching apparatus and the horizontal switch in which the switching apparatus was utilized.
The present invention comprises an improved switching apparatus useful in conjunction with horizontal switches and in similar applications which overcomes the foregoing and other problems long since associated with the prior art. In accordance with the broader aspects of the invention, a switching apparatus includes a switching member which is slidably positionable in any one of three switching orientations. The apparatus of the present invention is advantageous over the above-described flexible track switching apparatus in that elimination of the flexing components results in increased reliability. The elimination of the flexing components also removes the force acting against movement thus allowing the diverting mechanism to move at a faster speed. This allows higher conveyor speeds to be achieved without changing the switching actuator.
Further advantages deriving from the use of the invention includes a shorter effective acting distance which allows the diverting action to occur in a larger window of time. The switching apparatus of the present invention includes a diverter block having curved diverting surfaces which allow gradual lateral acceleration of the components of the horizontal switch and articles carried thereby.